Rilke would have wanted readers to know that he did not feel completely desolate during his period of voluntary exile in the Far North. The memories of the finely appointed guest chambers in the castles of his erstwhile patronesses burnt into his soul like bolts of cold liquid fire searing into the heart of the sun. He learned some of the local dances, joined a reading group, and was often generously hosted by a kindly local couple, Nicolas and Kristin.

yes Tom...he did not feel completely desolated...when I read this idea "If you have no home Nor place to stay, do not knock on any door. No one Will answer"maybe it was not rejection ... but a heart filled situation (?)

This is what "The Quarry" actually looks like. It is too beautiful (place) for words but what is noticed--time--

"Danke, Sandra and Joe" comment sounds like a poem.

I love "Rilke in the Far North"because of the sundial floor keeping track of time but the poet keeps track of another sort of time when the sun goes down: it is "the feeling of winter approaching". There are images of comfort that follow like "hoar frost", "letters", "circles", "dry leaves" that are empty yet in their stillness behaving stubbornly, too, and refusing to blow around as they will do later on in the dark.

We lived inside stone circlesto weigh down the tentnow it is called Barraswhere it filled with water

my red feltzigzags at the seamswhere my fingers can follow

they have big hoovesfor walking on the crusty snow Soviet architecturedown in townwhere in summerat the dance pavilionothers gatherMosquitoes or no mosquitoesanyway I left themto their elbowstheir stepping shoes